In yesterday?s Washington Post, Bill Bennett and Rod Paige jumped on board with Chester Finn in promoting a federal test. What are these guys smoking??
A federal test will drive federal standards. The content for every classroom in America then will be based upon the tests.
Now just think about this. If the country has one test for each grade in America to demonstrate proficiency, how influential is this test? The problem lies with WHO designs the test and with WHAT agenda?
In the 90’s it was Clinton and the Democrats who had this idea. Nothing is new!
Yes, states have learned how to game the accountability measures in No Child Left Behind, but more mandates from Washington will NEVER be the answer. Law based reform only achieves limited results, and ingenuity to circumvent laws.
Maybe the answer lies for those who support a federal test to join the free market of ?test suppliers.? They should design and develop their own test, then market it as the preeminent assessment. The policy makers in each state then decide what test to purchase. The IOWA, Stanford, California Achievement, and others already exist.
I am no fan of the state test we currently use. I am definitely opposed to a federal test. The last item our country needs is a federal ?monopoly? test for the government (monopoly) educational system.
